How Google Review Cards Work, and Where to Place Them in Your Business
By Meishi Business Cards Store Editorial Team | Published | Buying Guides
How Google review cards open your review form, how to set one up and the best places for cards, stickers and stands.
A Google review card is a small card that opens your Google review form on a customer's phone. This guide explains how the review cards in the Meishi Business Cards Store work, which version to choose and where to place cards, stickers and stands in your business so customers actually use them.
Short answer: a Google review card stores a link to your Google review page in an NFC chip, and most versions also carry a printed QR code. The customer taps the card on their phone or scans the code, and your review form opens without them having to search for your business. Hand it over at the moment of payment, while the visit is fresh.How a Google review card works
Every Google Business Profile has a direct link that opens the "write a review" box for that business. A review card simply stores that link so the customer does not have to find it.
There are two ways the card opens the link:
- NFC tap. The card has an NTAG215 NFC chip. When the customer holds it near the back of an NFC-enabled phone, the phone reads the link and opens it in the browser or the Google Maps app.
- QR scan. Versions with a printed QR code can be scanned with the phone's camera. This works on phones that cannot read NFC or have NFC switched off.
Nothing needs to be installed. The customer stays in control: they choose the star rating and write the review themselves on their own phone.
What you can buy
The store sells review cards for the platforms customers use most:
- Google review card
- Tripadvisor review card
- Trustpilot review card
- Multi-review card, for businesses listed on more than one platform
Single-platform cards come in four versions: Simple (tap only, no printed QR code), With QR, With QR + Name, and Name + QR without the LC brand. In the UK store they range from £9.99 for the Simple version to £34.99 for the Name + QR version without the LC brand. See the multi-review card page for its current prices.
For the counter and the wall there are also Google review stickers, Google review stands and a Google review plaque. In the UK store stickers start from £4.99, stands from £14.99 and the plaque from £19.99.
Setting up your review card, step by step
- Find your review link. Sign in to your Google Business Profile and copy the link for asking customers for reviews.
- Choose the version. If some of your customers use older phones, choose a version with a QR code so everyone can open it.
- Order and personalise. Enter your business details at checkout. We send a digital proof, and production starts only after you approve it.
- Test it when it arrives. Tap the card on your own phone and scan the QR code. Check that your review form opens for the right business.
- Brief your team. Agree when and how staff will offer the card, so it becomes part of the routine rather than an afterthought.
If you later open a second location or want to send customers to a different platform, you can repoint the card from your dashboard instead of ordering replacements.
Where to place review cards in your business
The best place is wherever customers naturally finish their visit with a phone in hand. Common spots include:
At the till or card machine
This is where most businesses get the strongest result, because the customer has just finished the visit. A stand beside the card machine keeps the prompt in view, and a member of staff can hand over a card at the same time.
On tables
Cafés, restaurants and bars often put a sticker on each table, so customers can leave a review while they wait for the bill.
At the entrance or exit
A wall plaque near the door catches customers as they leave, and it reminds returning customers that you value feedback.
With the receipt, invoice or delivery
Service businesses such as trades, salons and clinics can hand a card over at the end of the appointment or leave one with the invoice. Online sellers can include one in the parcel.
In the hands of your staff
For mobile teams, such as drivers, installers or event staff, a card in a pocket means the prompt goes wherever the work happens.
How to ask for a review well
A review card makes leaving a review easy; your team still needs to ask. A few general, practical points:
- Ask at the right moment. Offer the card to every customer when the visit or job is finished, not only to those who seem pleased.
- Keep it short and neutral. A simple sentence such as "We'd value your honest feedback on Google" is enough.
- Do not offer incentives. Google's policies prohibit offering incentives for reviews, such as discounts, free items, prize draws or payment, so never offer anything in return for a review.
- Do not gate reviews. Google's policies also prohibit selectively soliciting positive reviews ("review gating"), for example asking customers how they rated you first and only offering the card to those who were satisfied. Offer it to everyone.
- Reply to reviews. Responding to reviews, good and bad, shows future customers that you listen.
Choosing between a card, a sticker and a stand
| Review card | Sticker | Stand | Plaque | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best place | Handed to the customer | Tables, tills | Counters | Walls, entrances |
| Opens with a tap | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can be taken home | Yes | No | No | No |
| UK store from | £9.99 | £4.99 | £14.99 | £19.99 |
Many businesses use more than one: a stand at the counter, stickers on tables and cards for staff. All of them can point to the same review page. You can see every option together in stickers, stands and wristbands.
Frequently asked questions
Does the customer need an app to leave a review?
No. Tapping the card or scanning its QR code opens your review page in the phone's browser or the Google Maps app.
Will it work on every phone?
The NFC tap needs a phone that supports NFC with it switched on. Choose a version with a printed QR code if you want it to work on phones without NFC as well.
Can I change where the card points?
Yes. You can repoint the card from your dashboard, for example to a new location or a different review platform, without ordering new cards.
Can one card collect reviews on several platforms?
Yes. The multi-review card is designed for businesses listed on more than one platform.
Is it allowed to give customers something in return for a review?
No. Google's policies prohibit offering incentives for reviews, including discounts, gifts or prize draws. They also prohibit selectively asking only satisfied customers. Use the card to make reviewing easier for every customer, never to reward or filter reviews.
Next step
Browse all review cards for Google, Tripadvisor and Trustpilot. If you are still deciding between formats in general, read our guide to NFC, QR and digital-only cards.